Potato-planter.



No. 630,662. Patented Aug. 8, I899.

,A. J. COLBURN.

POTATO PLANTER.

(Application filed Mar. 20, 1899.;

No Model.)

INVENTORY ADONIRAM J.COLBURN= JIWNL s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADONIRAM J. COLBURN, OF GREENVILLE, MICHIGAN.

POTATO-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,662, dated August 8, 1899.

k Application filed March 20,1899. Serial No. 709,852. (No model.)

To all whom; it may concern: Beitknown that I, ADONIRAM J. UOLBURN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Montcalm and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Planters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in potato-planters, and more particularly to that class having a beak open at the top to receive the potato and having two jaws pivotally con nected and automatically locked in closed position and released when thrust into the ground; and its object is to simplify and improve the construction of the device and to provide the same with certain new and useful features hereinafter morefullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invent-ion consists, essentially, in connecting the jaws by links pivoted at each end to the respective jaws, whereby they move more freely and do not wear so rapidly, in providing the jaws with outwardly-turned flanges at the top, which engage and operate as a stop for locking the jaws, and which also serve as a foot-rest and to strengthen the structure, and certain other details of structure and arrangement, as will more fully appear by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention as it appears when closed; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the device in open position to deposit the seed; Fig. 4, a reduced rear elevation, and Fig. 5 a reduced front elevation, of the same.

Like letters refer to like parts in all of the figures.

The beak is a hollow wedge-shaped structure open at the top to receive the seed and composed of two jaws A and B. These jaws are rectangular at the topand taper to a transverse line at the bottom, and intermediately have rounded corners, as at A B. To the jaw A is attached a suitable handle-socket C, having lateral extensions 0, embracing the upper part of the jaw A to more securely attach the same, which extensions are engaged by outwardly-tn rned flanges D at the top of the jaw A. The lower end of this jaw is rounded in outline and extends belowthe lower end of the jaw B. To the jaw B is attached an arm H terminating in a broadened end H to engage the surface of the ground when the beak is thrust into the same. At the upper end of this jaw is an outwardly-turned flange E, which at the sides engage the front edges of the jaw A when in closed position and effectually prevents opening the beak until the jaw B is raised relative to the jaw A. To pivotally connect the jaws and permit of the Vertical movement of the jaw 13, links F are pivoted at their respective ends to the respective jaws and so located that when the jaw B rises the proper distance they will engage the flange D and stop the further vertical movement of the same,and when the jaw B descends the proper distance they will bring the flanges E firmly against the front edges of the jaw A. The movement of the pivots of the jaw B being in a curve carries it away from the jaw A and tends to clear the joints of any sand or gravel that may get into the device. The pivots being of the construction shown are also much more durable than studs sliding in slots, which soon wear and have too much lost motion to operate Well.

When the beak is thrust'into the ground, the flanges D furnish a suitable broad rest for the foot, and as the arm H contacts the ground the jaw B is retarded in its downward movement and rises relatively to the jaw A until the links F contact the flanges D. This brings the flanges E above the jaw A and unlocks the jaws. The handle can now be tilted forwardand the jaws opened, thus forming an opening in the ground, in which the seed is deposited, the parts assuming the position shown in Fig. 3.

The rounded lower end of the jaw A makes an opening deeper in the middle and operates more easily than if square at the lower end. So, also, the rounded corners A'B' adapt the device to be more easily operated. 1 When the flange E contacts the top of the flange D, the jaws can open no farther, and the forward and upward movement of the handle will withdraw the beak from the ground in this open position. The device will then automatically assume the position shown in Fig. 1, the upper part of the jaw B being carried forward and thence again rearward as it descends.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a potato-planter, the combination of two tapered jaws, a handle and an arm rigidly attached to the respective jaws, and links pivoted at their respective ends to the respective jaws, substantially as described.

2. In a potato-planter, ajaw havingahandle rigidly attached, a jaw having an arm rigidly attached and being both pivotally and longitudinally movable relative to the first-named jaw, and outwardly-extended flanges at the top of both jaws, substantially as described.

In a potato-plan ter, a jaw having a handle rigidly attached, ajaw having an arm rigidly attached, links pivotally attached at each end to the respective jaws, and outwardly -extended flanges at the top of said jaws, substantially as described.

4. In a potato-planter, a jaw, a handlesocket having lateral extensions embracing the jaw and secured thereto, and outwardlyturned flanges on the jaw engaging said extensions substantially as described.

5. In a potato-planter, a beak having jaws pivotally connected to each other, a handle and an arm attached to the respective jaws, said jaws being rectangular at the top and having outwardly-turned flanges and tapering to a transverse line at the bottom, the jaw having the handle attached extended below the otherjaw and having a lower rounded end and both jaws being provided with rounded corners intermediate their ends, substantially as described.

6. The combination of jaws of diiferent lengths having rectangular upper ends and tapering to a transverse line at the bottom, one of said jaws having a rounded extension below the other jaw, rounded corners to said jaws intermediate their ends, outwardlyturned flanges on the upper ends of said jaws, links pivotally connected to the jaws and c0- acting with the flanges to limit the relative movement of said jaws, and a handle and an arm attached to the respective jaws, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADONIRAM J. (JOLBURN.

\Vitnesses:

LEWIS E. FLANDERS, GEORGE IIOLLXVAY. 

